BBC Radio Devon

New presenters have joined the station’s popular team in a fresh sound that aims to reflect the whole county.

Breakfast Show presenter Gordon Sparks is now joined by Laura James, waking Devon up from 6am to 9am every morning with interesting chat, news, sport, weather and travel.

Laura is known to early risers for her BBC Radio Devon show from 5am to 6am, which she continues to present. Before joining the station she presented breakfast shows across the West Country for Heart and Breeze.

She has been co-hosting the breakfast show for the last few weeks and has now...

Comedian Mike Osman is bringing his frighteningly realistic portrayal of the leader of the free world to the county in aid of Comic Relief.

The Capital radio presenter has appeared on such shows as Copy Cats, The Generation Game, Noel's House Party and Big Break.

He will be headlining a show at the Watermark in Ivybridge on Tuesday, March 12, which will also showcase three top local comedians – Louis Burgess, Suzy Bennett and Luke Honnoraty.

Hilarious videos made by Louis Burgess, from Dartmoor, have been watched 22 million times online and he has won several awards...

BBC Radio Devon have today (Wednesday 15 February) announced that Tim Manns will be joining the station as Saturday Breakfast Show presenter from Saturday 4 March. Tim says: “It has been a career ambition of mine to join the Corporation, so this is a very exciting time for me. I am really looking forward to Saturday mornings’ when I hope the BBC Radio Devon audience will join me for a great start to the weekend.” Mark Grinnell, Editor of BBC Radio Devon says: “Tim is a well-known voice in the County and will be a great addition to our family of BBC Radio Devon presenters.” Tim will be live...

BBC Radio Devon is celebrating after attracting more listeners to the station.

Despite a blip following a major shake up of presenters the audience has significantly bounced back.

The station now has 200,000 listeners each week, according to the independent RAJAR survey. Mark Grinnell, Editor of BBC Radio Devon said: “BBC Radio Devon is in a strong position. We are the place listeners come for news, information and entertainment. But we’re so much more than that – our listeners are a family and the station is here for their views and comments.

"Whether that’s...

BBC Radio Devon has today (Tuesday 28 June) announced that Janet Kipling has been appointed as the station’s Lunchtime Presenter on a permanent bases. Janet, who took over from Bill Buckley earlier this year, has a long-standing history with the BBC that first started 23 years ago at BBC Somerset, before moving to BBC Radio Devon in 1993 as a reporter, producer and then presenter of the Afternoon Show. Janet Kipling said: “I’m delighted to be coming home to BBC Radio Devon after all these years. The station is in new and vibrant shape, technology has transformed our studios, and our...

Staff from the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Trust and ELF were joined by ELF Patron, David Fitzgerald to put the first spade in the ground for the new family suite.

ELF wants to do more for critically ill and end of life patients. The Chevithorne Appeal will fund the building of a suite of rooms for patients and their families so that they can be together whilst still receiving the tailored medical care at the hospital.

The suite will have two bedrooms – one for the patient and one for their family. An open plan living area with kitchenette gives the home comforts and...

Managers at BBC Radio Devon have been dealt a bitter blow after one of their most popular broadcasters told them he was quitting the station.

Although no formal announcement has been made, the Daily understands Bill Buckley is on his way out.

A station insider has told us that he has been signed up by BBC Radio Berkshire.

He will join other big-name broadcasters Paul Ross, brother of Jonathan, and Anne Diamond, who became a household name on TV-am.

Mr Buckley’s departure will be a serious concern to BBC Radio Devon managing editor Mark Grinnell.

The...

Much-loved BBC Radio Radio Devon presenter Tony Beard has died, it was announced on Sunday.

Tony told his listeners that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer in April last year.

A former Dartmoor farmer Mr Beard, 79, had been a presenter for about 35 years.

He was known to listeners as the "Wag from Widecombe".

Listener Gwen Ottery was among the first to post a tribute on the BBC Devon Facebook page.

She wrote: "So sad to hear this. I met Tony nearly thirty years ago when he opened a fete at Stoodleigh and have some lovely pictures of him when...

A popular BBC TV presenter has said BBC Radio Devon’s loss could be Spotlight’s gain after the station dropped Judi Spiers.

Victoria Graham has returned after a two and a half year break to reprise her much-loved double act with Justin Leigh at the helm of local news show Spotlight.

She was interviewed by acting editor of the Western Morning News on Sunday Liz Parks, who asked her what she thought about the Spiers Saga.

She told Liz: “I do think people make a big issue of it, let’s just get on with it. Having said that, social media speaks for itself – she is very...

Just two posts on BBC Devon’s Facebook page about the departure of Judi Spiers have attracted almost 1,000 comments.

Meanwhile, another 1,000 people have backed a campaign called @bringbackjudi on Facebook and Twitter.

It appears that although BBC bosses had hoped the crescendo of complaints would die down after Judi’s last show, on Friday, they appear to be gaining momentum.

The target for most of the criticism is the station’s managing editor, Mark Grinnell.

He made the decision to axe Judi’s show just weeks after bringing in former Radio One DJ Simon...